Anvil for stapling machines



July 12, 1938. R, MITCHELL 2,123,609

ANVIL FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed June 26, .1936

INVENTOR 10 fcaer/ M/2cfie//- 12 V f WWWMF 34 Q Z ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,123,609 ANVIL FOR. STAPLING MACHINES Robert Mitchell, Detroit, Mich. Application June 26, 1936, Serial No. 87,435

2 Claims.

This invention relates to anvils or clincher bars of a type particularly adapted for use with conventional, hand operated stapling or tacking machines.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an elongate anvil or clincher bar which is so designed as to p ermit the use of a conventional tacking or stapling machine, particularly the hand operated type, for the purpose of securing together overlapping flaps or cover parts of various sizes of cardboard boxes, paper cartons and the like. in long, slender form is adapted to suppor To this end, the

anvil is constructed and of a length whereby it t the overlapping flaps or cover parts on boxes of various sizes throughout the entire width thereof, and in addition to supporting the flaps or cover parts includes means for clinching the ends of the staples or tacks which are driven through such overlapping flaps or cover parts by the stapling machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anvil of the character referred to in the preceding paragraph overlapping flaps with means for clamping the or cover parts firmly together whereby the staples or tacks may be easily driven therethrough. To thi s end, the anvil is provided with a pivoted clamping bar against which manual pressure may be applied toclamp the overlapping flap or cover parts against the anvil.

By so holding anvil the clinching op the overlapping parts against the eration may be more easily performed and the staples or tacks will be properly disposed to provide an efficient holding action. Another object of the present invention is to provide an anvil of the character referred to above embodying a clamping bar which also functions in the nature of a straight edge to guide the movement of the stapling or tacking machine with respect to the anvil so that the staples or tacks driven thereby will be uniformly and properly spaced in relation to the clincher grooves in the anvil and with overlapping flaps or or cartons.

respect to the edges of the cover parts of the boxes This feature is desirable in that it avoids the placing of the staples r tacks too close to the edge of one of the overlapping parts and insures sufiicient material between the staples or tacks and the edges of the overlapping parts to prevent tearing away of such edges.

Still another object to provide an anvil o of the present invention is f the character referred to above with a clamping and guiding bar embodying means for holding a stapling or tacking device in firm contact with overlapping flaps or cover parts during operation of the stapling or tacking device.

With the above and other ends in view the invention is more fully disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box with the present anvil associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the anvil and a tacking or stapling device;

Fig. 3- is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and v Fig. 4 is a cross section of flaps or cover parts secured together by a staple.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate corresponding parts.

The numeral l designates an anvil of elongate form having a pair of grooves 2 in the top surface thereof, the grooves being of arcuate section and extending parallel to one another throughout the entire length of the anvil, parallel to the sides thereof. The grooves are provided for the purpose of clinching tacks or staples. A clamping bar 3 has a substantially U-shaped formation 4 at one end thereof pivotally secured by pins 5 to the anvil adjacent one end thereof. Adjacent its other end the anvil has an aperture 5 into which a rigid pin 1 on the clamping bar 3 is adapted. to project. In the drawing the pin 1 is shown as projecting into the aperture 6 and with the parts in this position the pin 1 functions to hold the end 8 of the clamping bar from lateral displacement with respect to the anvil and the clamping bar and to thus hold it in a position with its side edges parallel to the side edges of the anvil and parallel with the grooves 2.

Oneedge of the clamping bar 3 has an integral angularly extending portion 9, the portion 9 extending perpendicular to the plane of the clamping bar and perpendicular to the top surface of the anvil. With the parts positioned as shown the portion 9 constitutes a guide surface for a stapling or tacking device as will also be hereinafter described. At its top edge the guide portion 9 has an outwardly directed flange l0 providing a retainer surface as will hereinafter appear.

A tacking or stapling machine of the hand operated type is generally designated by the numeral H. Such machines are well known in the art and are available on the market. They are operated by placing the machine firmly on the object to be tacked and then pressing downwardly upon the operating handle, thereby causing the machine to deliver a staple or tack. In order to insure firm engagement between the machine I l and the objects to be tacked the machine illustrated is provided with a lateral, hook-like projection I2 on one side thereof, or in some cases there may be a lateral projection I2 on both sides thereof in cases where it is desirable that the machine be moved in either direction with respect to the anvil.

In using the present anvil it is placed across the top of a box or carton I3 and the clamping bar 3 is pivotally moved to a position leaving the top of the anvil entirely exposed. The flaps or cover parts I4 are then folded over the anvil so that they rest in overlapping relation thereupon. The clamping bar is then moved pivotally to the position shown in Fig. 1 where it rests upon the flaps I4 and where the pin 1 projects into the aperture 6. Manual pressure is then applied on the end 8 of the clamping bar so that the overlapping ends of the flaps are clamped firmly together and firmly pressed against the anvil I. The stapling machine II is then placed on top of the flaps I 4, with its lateral hook-like projection I2 beneath the retainer flange III and with the side of the machine against the guide portion 9. The machine II is then manually actuated to drive a staple through the overlapping flaps, and because the guide portion 9 properly disposes the machine H with respect to the anvil grooves 2, the arcuate surfaces of the latter when engaged by the staples so driven cause the ends I6 thereof to be clinched, as illustrated in Fig. 4. By moving the machine I I and repeating the actuation thereof at intervals a straight row of staples may be driven through the overlapping flaps I4 and clinched. After the flaps I4 have been secured together by a sufficient-number of staples the clamping bar is pivoted away from the anvil, the anvil is withdrawn from beneath the flaps I4 and placed across the top of the same at right angles to the position shown. The flaps I are then folded across the anvil, the clamping bar restored to its clamping position, and the above described stapling operation is repeated.

In order to insure proper functioning of the stapling device it is necessary that it be held in firm contact with the parts being stapled. The present device assures such firm engagement by provision of the retainer portion I 0 against which the lateral projections I2 engage, the portion I0 functioning to hold the device firmly against the flaps at all times when the pin 1 is received in the aperture 6. If the clamping bar 3 is not held down with sufficient pressure the pin I will slip from the aperture and the operator thus becomes aware that the parts are not properly disposed for the stapling operation. However, it is believed that the invention is not confined as to novelty to this retainer portion on the clamping bar and it may also be used successfully with 7 firmly together by the clamping bar.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

What I claim is:-

1. A device for supporting parts to be secured together and for clinching the securing elements which secure them together, said device comprising an elongate anvil, a bar pivoted at one end on said anvil and adapted by swinging movement and application of manual pressure on the free end thereof to clamp the parts to be secured on said anvil, said bar having a straight edge thereon for guiding the movement of a device for driving securing elements through said parts, and means on said bar for holding said device in firm engagement with said straight edge and said parts, said last named means comprising a fiange on the edge remote from said straight edge, said flange terminating at a point in the length of the bar spaced from the free end thereof.

2. In combination, an elongate anvil, a clamping bar pivotally connected at one end to one end of said anvil, means on the other ends of said anvil and clamping bar respectively adapted to be interengaged by swinging movement of said bar and adapted to be held engaged by manual pressure on said bar, means on the free end of said bar for receiving manual pressure to clamp parts to be secured together against said anvil, said bar having a straight edge, a stapling device having a retainer thereon, and a guide surface on said bar adapted to be slidably engaged by said retainer and adapted when engaged to hold said stapling device in contact with said straight edge and to transmit at least a portion of the manual pressure from said bar to said stapling device to hold the latter in firm engagement with the parts to be secured, said guide surface terminating in spaced relation to the free end of said clamping bar whereby the retainer of said stapling device may be slipped thereon while manual pressure is being exerted upon said clamping bar.

ROBERT MITCHELL. 

